ACTION ALERT: Speak Out and Help Fix the FSMA
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which was signed into law in 2011, is the first major overhaul of our nation’s food safety practices since 1938, and it includes new regulations for produce farms and for facilities that process food for people to eat.
FSMA gives the FDA broad new powers to prevent food safety problems, detect and respond to food safety issues, and improve the safety of imported foods. To do so, FSMA authorizes new regulations for farmers who grow fresh produce and for certain facilities that process fresh produce for people to eat.
Specifically, FSMA requires FDA to establish new regulations for:
Standards for produce production (Produce Rule), and
Food safety measures for facilities that process food for human consumption (Preventive Controls Rule).
As written, the rules:
Undermine on-farm conservation, protection of wildlife, and organic farming practices
Unfairly target local food and limit opportunities for farmers
Lack due process for farmers and raise costs for farmers and consumers
Comments for the rules are currently being accepted until November 15. If we don’t speak out now, the new rules under FSMA could have serious impacts on sustainable and organic food production in the US.
It can’t be emphasized enough – food safety is critical, but if the rules don’t work for farmers, they won’t make our food safe.
Whether you have a few minutes or a few weeks, you can join the campaign. Here’s how:
GET INFORMED!
Check out the National Sustainable Ag Coalition (NSAC) FSMA website to get up to speed on just what these rules will mean for producers and processors here.
Sign up for FSMA email updates from NSAC.
Start asking questions – how might these rules impact me? The people I work with? The farmers I know?
TAKE ACTION!
Submit your own comments to FDA! Please note that the comments for the Produce Rules must be submitted separately from comments for the Preventative Controls Rules.
Rally farmers and consumers to submit comments to FDA!
SPREAD THE WORD!
Encourage allies, stakeholders, and others to reach out and to submit comments! Anyone who is involved in any aspect of our food system needs to know about – and comment on – these rules. Make a call, send an email, host a meeting – make sure they know what’s up.